Kijin Gentoushou

Sword Of The Demon Hunter was a very welcome surprise, especially after such a lackluster season that was Winter 2025. I came into this expecting it to be good..but just that, but honestly if the rest of the episodes are as good as the first 3 are, I think it could be one of the best new shows for Spring 2025.

Plot:
If I described the entire plot, I would just spoil the first episode. So I'll give you the stupefied version instead.

Jinta and his sister, Suzune live with their abusive father who beats on her because she has a demon eye. They escape from the ... house and run into a man who happens to be the husband and bodyguard to the current Itsukihime. They also have a daughter named Shirayuki who's to be the next Itsukihime once her mother dies, which surprise surprise, she does. Time skip around a decade later and now Jinta and Shirayuki are grown, while Suzune is still the same since she's you know...half-demon, which makes her age slowly. Shirayuki is now the Itsukihime and Jinta is one of her bodyguards, and that's where I'll stop. Anymore and I'd just spoil the first episode. Just know that events lead to Jinta going on a 170 year journey hunting demons in order to find his sister.

characters:
I really like these characters, they're nothing we haven't seen before, but they're likable. Jinta is your stoic protagonist, but he still has a heart and will listen to peoples backstories and engage in conversation, and he even lets the demons give him their name before he kills them. How nice of him.
Suzune sadly I can't say much right now since they write her out of the show after the first episode, but as long as they don't make her full bloodthirsty heartless demon, I think she could be an interesting character.

I also like the side characters we've been introduced to so far, especially the demon, Mosuke introduced in episode 3 who's just a guy trying to blend in with humanity to live a peaceful life who's also hunting the same demon Jinta is because it killed his wife. Which I love, I love when the monsters in anime are portrayed more complex than just mindless monsters, and they have a more black and white element. That's why I adore 'Shiki' so much, the humans and vampires are both assholes but also have sympathetic characters in the mix.

art/animation:
This is where it falters a little, while not bad by any means, the animation hasn't impressed me at all either. The art on the other hand is great, I love how dark everything is, and the demons look amazing. I was a little worried when I saw the studio was Yokohama Animation Lab since they don't have the best track record, but no, Sword Of The Demon Hunter is great so far.

Conclusion:
This is not a Demon Slayer clone, which is what I initially thought. It's set in a similar period, and both Tanjiro and Jinta hunt demons, plus the demons are a little bit more complex than just "bloodthirsty killer" in both, but that's where the similarities end. I honestly think this might have a better story and characters than Demon Slayer, while Demon Slayer will top it in art and animation alone.
I really like Sword Of The Demon Hunter and hopefully the rest of the episodes maintain the same quality.

This anime surprised me. I loved the setting of the story and the characters feel like they truly belong in this world, taking the narrative seriously.

The animation was also great, I didn't expect much from the studio, but they did a pretty good job. The art style is pretty good too and I like that the makers clearly put effort into making this show.

While the story isn't particularly unique and it doesn't feel like they're trying to be, it's enjoyable enough with some really good emotional beats.

The opening was okay, but there are spoilers in it so watch out for those. looking forward to ... seeing where this story ends up.

Kijin Gentoushou, animated by Yokohama Animation Lab and based on a novel by Moto'o Nakanishi, begins with a provocative, tragic premise set in the Edo period of Japan. Jinta is a stoic guardian to shrine maiden Itsukihime, both in Kadono village, fighting demons, while dealing with his own demonic nature. In three episodes (the first episode being a short-length special), this dark fantasy incorporates time travel, swordplay, and existential questions about one's purpose. While the worldbuilding and emotional moments show promise, uneven efforts with animation and pacing prevent it from being the best it could have been.

We learn how Jinta and his half-demon sister ... Suzune escape a terrible father in the first episode, and find a spot to settle in Kadono. From there, we learn about Shirayuki, who will future become Itsukihime, and through the episode, we build familial bonds between the three of them, only to have those bonds destroyed after a tragic timeskip, once Suzune's demonic nature emerges by declaring ruin on humans. Episodes 2 and 3 are done in a 'monster-of-the-week' format, where Jinta, now ronin, is hunting demons, specifically a serial killer case in episode 3 that works as a gut-punch in part because of Mosuke's backstory of loss. The nonlinear storytelling and thematics of duty and regret kept things compelling. Yet, the abrupt 170-year timeskip felt jarring compared to the setting of the first episode and left emotional beats undeveloped.

It is during these moments, where Jinta's reserved yet compassionate nature shines, especially in listening to the demons' stories, such as Mosuke in episode 3. Nonetheless, his stoicism gets close to bland. Suzune's unhinged nature eerily fits in the crazy demonic world, though after episode 1, Suzune is absent for most episodes, which is disappointing. Shirayuki's warmth was engaging, which makes her fate in episode 1 emotional. Whereas other supporting characters like Mosuke added depth, others felt fleeting and less important.

Finally, Yokohama's animation was the weakest link here. The dark, gritty art suits the tone well, but action scenes lacked well-punched animation and had unfinished frames entirely, with episode 2's demon fight as the worst example. The accompanying score by MONACA had an atmosphere, but it was also unmemorable. Direction also lacked any tension to subtly elevate the moments key to the story like other standout dark fantasies, including Vinland Saga.

Overall, Kijin Gentoushou, with its complex demons and human flaws, intrigued me, especially the serial killer arc in episode 3 suggesting an area to explore deeper storytelling. However, the production inconsistencies/redundancies and rushed pacing certainly reduced the overall quality. But it was engaging enough to watch and sort of nothing to incomparable peers.